Unraveled Wednesday, August 2

Is it just me, or does it seem like the summer is just flying by? I mean really, how on earth is it August already?!?

My Instagram feed this week was full of fall sweater knitting plans…ummm, yeah. That was my reaction too, until I reminded myself that I knit not one but two fall sweaters this summer! But then again, I am so not ready for summer to be over so to counteract this madness – I have begun the cast on for Bateau. I have roughly 100 stitches to finish casting on. Summer sweaters FTW! And, no sleeves…ahhhh!

I do have a couple of finished objects this week! I finished the bind off yesterday afternoon for Kirsten Kapur’s MKAL shawl!! It is headed for a nice spa treatment and a good blocking. I will share the beauty shots next week!

I also finished Stillwater #1 (which took me WAY longer than 4 days, lol) This sweater had more than its share of unraveling. The front collar band was ripped back once to adjust stitches and I also ripped back a sleeve with some adjustments for fit. It also needs a good soak but my washer died on Monday so that will wait until the new washer arrives. However, I do really like how it turned out. I used Sheepspot CVM which is a new yarn they are carrying – and I have some mixed feelings about the yarn. I think the yarn will be wonderfully durable and very pill resistant, however, everyone who has touched the sweater has said it is scratchy. Now, this does not bother me at all and really it does not feel scratchy to me, but be warned – this is a sturdy yarn. I also had one skein that had lots of knots in one strand of the plies. I debated as to whether to just leave them (they were small) or to remove them. I decided to remove them because the yarn easily fulled back together (so I did not have any ends to weave in). The skeins have about 280 yards in them, so they are big skeins and they are not dyed but come in natural sheep colors. I also think they are a bit pricey at $26.00 per skein. The yarn weight is between a light worsted and DK weight and it blooms a bit in the bath. I knit this sweater on a size 6 needle which is not the recommended needle size, but I liked the fabric that I got on a 6 the most. You might recall that I originally planned on knitting Daelyn from this yarn, but, this yarn did not play well with that pattern (otherwise known as what happens when you ignore row gauge in a top down sweater).

Now, how about a book report? I have finished 2 more books this week!

I listened to Claire Danes read Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and it was excellent listening! I gave this book 4 stars.

I also finished reading The Children Act by Ian McEwan – this was my first Ian McEwan novel and I really enjoyed it and I also gave it 4 stars on Goodreads.

I started another Ian McEwan novel last night – I am reading Nutshell: A Novel. And, while I have just started I can tell you that it is a very curious start! I think this will be another quick read! Up next after that is Elie Wiesel’s Dawn.

I am listening to The English Patient as well and I am really loving it!

As you can see from my Bingo Card I have some open spaces yet and still all of August to fill them.

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17 Comments

Gorgeous (and incredibly prolific) knitting, Kat! I like the crinkles and waves in your MKAL shawl, and I’m sure it will be even more beautiful after blocking. I think every Ian McEwan book I’ve read is different. I loved The Children Act, was confused by Nutshell, and hated On Chesil Beach. Happy Reading and Knitting!

Love the sweater! I think CVM is a great fiber, but merino it is not. I think plenty of people have become too used to the uber-soft fibers that are so ubiquitous these days, but if I want a sweater to last, I want to make it out of a more durable wool.

Frankly I am in denial that it is already August. I dropped my daughter off at camp this morning and realized that I’d totally forgotten the monthly tuition check — because I really didn’t think it was a new month already!

You have had a super successful Summer of sweaters. They require so much thought. I admire that you can make pattern adjustments so they fit you just right. I cannot do that. I finished my book,, THe Year of Living Biblically. It was great.

I feel like the summer has gone by so fast too! I see the fall creations on Instagram too, and I am guilty of knitting some chunkier knits now too. I think once we get to august it is the next thing on our minds. I like your sweater! it looks so warm and cozy. You have read so many books, you are probably almost done your bingo card 🙂

Wow. And more “wow” to everything you’ve accomplished so far this summer. What a nice way to see them in a physical shape and form — in writing this blog, a book bingo, a knitting contest and more.
I applaud you.

Congratulations – those are two GREAT finishes for this week! “Summer knitting” for us extends well into October, so I think I have time to 1) knit another lightweight sweater and 2) get a jump on fall! LOVING the Arranmore Light that I saw from the FibreCo and Marie Green’s promise of a new design. The yarn is DK weight and that’s my favorite for cooler weather pieces.

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About Me:

I am the mom of 3 amazing adult children and Nana to one precious granddaughter. I am a knitter and sometime spinner, a NPR junkie, gloriously liberal, a wanna be photographer, a voracious reader, a sometimes stitcher, and a lover of good food…